Tempest
by Erin Roberts Guardian's Light
Summary: Two years ago, Hay Lin lost something important. The screams still echo in her mind as she is dragged into a conflict that is older than mankind, and all in the name of vengence.
1. Haunted Past

_Authors Note: This is a story idea that I've been throwing around for a couple of months now and am finally deciding to post it. Please I ask that if you read the story you review it, input helps make stories better. I hope you all enjoy._

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Tempest

Chapter One: Haunted Past

It was a beautiful day on Meridian, the five Guardians had gone to visit Elyon and enjoy the warm spring sun.

_Now this looks to peaceful_

A scream echoed through the courtyard. A woman was running from something no one had ever seen before. Its black armor held off the Guardian's elemental attacks. It quickly pushed its way forward laughing in the most sadistic of tones. Even Elyon couldn't force the large being back.

_Is that all you can do_

What did this thing want, what was it trying to accomplish, and what was it? The clang of sword on steel echoed as Caleb tried to go for the creature's unprotected neck. Red eyes flashed as the warrior was thrown back into a wall. It was fast as it stopped the former rebel leader's fall with a bone shattering punch to the chest before allowing the boy to drop limply to the ground, his ribs shattered.

_Is this your strength_

Cornelia was furious and attacked with all her might but the armored being batted the attacks aside just like he did before. All the Guardians joined in trying to halt its advanced, but that's when the next one appeared. With the eeriest of sounds, like a cross between a cat's purr and a badly tuned guitar, a large black fold ripped open behind the large being.

_All begin in Darkness, and all so End_

Out stepped another person in black clothing, though he was different. He did not wear a helmet like his counterpart, which let his wild blonde hair flow in the breeze. He and his compatriot spoke in an unknown tongue before his orange eyes focused on the Protectors of Infinity. He grinned evilly before reaching up to grasp the hilt of his sword. It was longer than anything that the five Guardians have ever seen, and was shimmering silver in color. It looked as though it had to be wielded with two hands but the warrior easily held it with one.

_Can you hope to win_

With a flick of the blade, a flash of red entered the girl's field of vision, with a pain retched scream it was over like that. The Earth Guardian laid slumped against the castle wall behind them a pool of blood forming quickly underneath her.

_One down_

Two more flashes and Will and Taranee were lying dead on the ground. This couldn't be happening. No one, not even the Oracle, was this powerful. Who and what are these people.

_This is pathetic_

The large one shoved Elyon aside, they weren't interested in her. Irma screamed before she too fell to the ground in a flash of crimson light. The sky above became cloudy and black, as the large creature grabbed the smallest Guardian and held her tight. Her attacks had no effect on the brute as he held her before the other as he sheathed his sword.

_Now that the distractions are finished_

He placed an armored hand on the Guardian's chin and stroked her cheek with his thumb. She tried to fight back, but the sheer terror of her friends being slaughtered so quickly held her in place.

_Do you fear me, Hate me_

He leaned in and began whispering into her ear. She kneed him quickly in the gut, but he looked unfazed. Even a Guardian's strength couldn't faze them.

_I am a demon, a Death Gaizer_

She was breathing heavily now as the big one slammed her into a wall before returning to holding her tightly with one hand.

_Do you wish to kill me, for killing them_

She became angry at him for mocking them, they were her friends. She tried again to strike at him, but once again was slammed into a wall and returned to her previous position.

_Then let me give you thi__s advice_

He turned to walk away as the big one dropped her. The eerie noise screeched as another black fold opened before them, but before they entered the smaller of the two reached for the hilt of his sword, and then there was a flash of red.

_To kill a demon, you must become a demon_

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Hay Lin shot up quickly in her bed. A cold sweat caked her body while fresh tears coursed their way down her cheeks like rivers. She was breathing heavily while clutching herself to attempt to cease the horrible shaking that had started.

"That was two years ago,"she sobbed to herself while curling into a ball, "why I am still having that nightmare."

Hay Lin dropped to her back and stared at the ceiling. She had given up a long time ago to try to stop crying. She blamed herself for what had happened to her friends, after all someone had to take the blame. Those things that plagued her dreams were monsters. Monsters that practically destroyed everything that the young woman cared about.

It was too early for the girl to get up, but she wasn't tired anymore. She turned to her clock, the bright red numbers reading three thirty. With a drown she crawled out of her covers and slowly shuffled to her computer. She yawned as the screen lit up, and before long she was lost in one of the online flash games.

She really had nothing better to do. Her homework was finished, and she had all the legends and info she could gather on the "Death Gaizers" and most of that was just saying what she already knew. They were a form of demon.

A demon would be easy for a Guardian, if she still had her powers and enough time to practice, but the council took the heart once they learned of the attack. They didn't even give an explanation even when Halinor asked for one. Hay Lin assumed that it was more for the council's safety than for anything else.

She sighed as she beat the areas with ease. Her parents got her the game in hopes that it would help keep the young girl happy, at first it did but now it was boring. Her character was pretty strong, and able to take on anything. If only she could be like Hatsuki, her character's name, then those things would be having nightmares of her decimating them with ease. Thankfully, the game caused her to pass the time long enough for her to start getting ready for school.

She put her computer on standby before standing and stripping off her pajamas. Quickly she clothed herself in a white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, and then she put on a pair of red and white stripped arm warmers before tying her long hair back in her usual fashion. She left after placing her full bag on one shoulder hoping that today school would be a little more bearable.

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Hay Lin took in a deep breath as she walked into Sheffield's courtyard. It seemed like only yesterday to the fifteen year old that the five of them walked through the archway to spend a day in class.

She overheard upon entry to the building a group of older students harassing a younger girl. She looked Asian and seemed confused as to what the upperclassmen were saying.

"Another day," Hay Lin sighed to herself, "another hassle." She silently walked over to the group keeping extremely quiet. "Is there something going on here?"

"Umm," the oldest student said in a timid tone, "nothing Hay Lin, we were just helping this new student find her homeroom."

"Really," Hay Lin said with a cold stare, "it looks to me that she's fully capable of finding her classroom. Why don't you guys find yours?"

"Good idea," another one of the group said quickly as the three of them quickly run off, "we don't want to pick a fight with you."

"Yeah," the other said as they turned the corner quickly and vanished from sight.

"Thank you," the young student said with a polite bow before Hay Lin could leave to her class.

"Don't thank me." Hay Lin said with a slight growl.

"Why, you just helped me." The girl said with a Japanese accent.

"Because I don't deserve it," Hay Lin said in an annoyed tone, "next time I might be the one who backs you into a corner instead of three losers like them." The older Asian girl turned then and headed up toward her classroom before the younger one could respond, though a smug smile quickly spread across her face.

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The young girl watched once lunch started. She watched as a group of students fled from the table as the former Air Guardian approached it. The young Japanese girl didn't know about Hay Lin being a Guardian, but she did feel something odd about the woman.

"Hi," she said as she approached Hay Lin's table. The whole cafeteria seemed to gasp and freeze as she did this. "You look lonely, may I sit here with you."

"For one," Hay Lin said suppressing a growl while motioning the girl to sit, "I'm not lonely, and second, don't think that because I help you earlier that that makes us friends."

"Oh come on," the new girl said which kept the entire cafeteria in awe. "You look like someone who could use a friend. My name is Haruka Misato, I'm from Japan, we just moved here."

"I'm not someone who needs a friend," Hay Lin said as she finished her food. "I'll be going now though Haruka, please don't follow me."

"Well, that was pretty rude," Haruka said in an annoyed tone before she heard a loud ticking noise. She pulled out a large pocket watch decorated with what appeared to be white crow feathers and flipped it open before sighing in annoyance. She stood quickly while grabbing her bag and rushed after Hay Lin.

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"I thought I told you not to follow me," Hay Lin said down the empty hallway while looking over her shoulder. Haruka was surprised that Hay Lin was able to hear her being as quiet as she was.

"I finished my lunch," Haruka said calmly, "and I figured you could use the company."

"Well," Hay Lin growled, "I don't, so go away."

"Are you sure you want me to go away," Haruka said with a giggle, "after all. I know more about the Death Gaizers than you do." This statement stopped the former Air Guardian in her tracks while Haruka continued to move forward.

"What did you just say," Hay Lin said angrily while grabbing Haruka's arm and squeezing tightly.

"I said I know more about the Death Gaizers than you," Haruka said as she easily released herself from Hay Lin's grasp. "If you want to know more meet me at 429 Williams street after school is over. There we can talk. Right now I've got work to do."

"What kind of work," Hay Lin growled angrily.

"Like I said," Haruka whispered into Hay Lin's ear as students began to enter the hall. "429 Williams street." Haruka then waved quickly behind herself as she walked off leaving an angry Hay Lin behind.

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Hay Lin arrived at the destination she was told to arrive at though found only an abandoned house that looked as if no one had lived in it for years. She approached the door to see a note tapped to it. The thing was written in a strange way though Hay Lin assumed from what she could read that she needed to enter the house.

She entered with relative ease. The large door squeaked loudly as she walked through. The place was old and one false move could mean that she plummeted through the floor.

"It's about time you showed up," Haruka said as she seemed to appear on the top of the staircase in front of Hay Lin.

"You need to start explaining," Hay Lin said clenching her fists. This girl had something to do with those things that slaughtered her friends, and she was ready to make those monsters pay.

"I don't need to do anything," Haruka said in an annoyed tone, "besides attacking me as you are would end the same as if you put an infant in front of a charging rhino."

"What," Hay Lin angrily said while glaring at Haruka with hate filled eyes.

"I don't know why," Haruka said calmly, "the Death Gaizers spared you. Most normal people that see them are slaughtered in seconds. If they get that long."

"And how do you know that," Hay Lin angrily asked.

"I'm a spiritual being known as a Karas," Haruka said while pulling out the white feather covered pocket watch, "more specifically the white Karas. It's my job to keep the spiritual planes in perfect balance."

"How am I supposed to believe that," Hay Lin asked not liking where this was going, but she was going to get answers no matter what.

"The easiest way is to show you," Haruka said as she pressed the top of the watch and a bird's eye opens on the watches face. Time stopped suddenly as Haruka performed certain movements with her right hand before a strange light wrapped around her. Soon the Japanese woman was wrapped in stunning pure white armor that covered her entire body and appeared to be made out of feathers. Attached to her waist was a kantana in its black sheath. Chains held it to her body before she drew the blade and pointed it at Hay Lin. Her eyes flash a solid blue before time returns to normal causing Hay Lin to stumble back in fear.

"You're one of them," Hay Lin said through panicked breaths as the flashes of red and her friends screams echoed in her head. Haruka did not speak. She only approached Hay Lin before the hyperventilating girl passed out.

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	2. Differences in Abillities

A/N: A lot of dialog in this chapter, but then agian next xhapter will have a lot mor in terms of action. Thank you to my three reviewers and to my readers. Please enjoy chapter 2.

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Tempest

Chapter Two: Difference in Abilities

"You went too far, Haruka," a boy about a year older than Hay Lin said in an annoyed tone. He wore an elaborate white outfit, while strapped to his waist was a white kantana.

"I didn't even do anything," Haruka said quickly.

"I think I know why the Death Gaizers spared her," the boy said as he scratched his neck, "she doesn't have any magical or spiritual potential."

"What are you talking about," Haruka said in an annoyed ton while crossing her arms, "she saw my Karas form, and from the sounds of things the Death Gaizers themselves."

"But she didn't see me," the boy said, "and I was at the bottom of the staircase in plain site the whole time."

"That's true," Haruka said while placing a hand on her chin, "I don't really sense much from her either, but for now let's let her rest."

"Agreed," the boy said.

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"You knew didn't you," Hay Lin screamed as she stood before the council. Just hours earlier she had seen the two Death Gaizers. Hours ago her friends were mercilessly slaughtered.

"Hay Lin," the Oracle spoke in his usual calm manner, "even if I did know about those creatures. What would you have had me do?"

"It is the Guardians who act for the council," Luba said harshly with a growl. Hay Lin clenched her hands until her nails pierced the skin.

"That's not good enough," Hay Lin yelled, "you could have seen what was about to happen. You could have warned us."

"It wouldn't have mattered," the Oracle spoke once more, "I fear that those beasts would have shown up no matter what world you were on."

"So you're saying," Hay Lin growled as her anger built more and more, "that you'd rather just let us be slaughtered."

"It isn't like that Hay Lin," Halinor said softly as the placed a gentle hand on the Sir Guardians shoulder. "I'm sure if we had known we would have made precautions."

"That brings me to the next point," the Oracle said as he walked up to Hay Lin, "Hay Lin you do have the Heart correct." Hay Lin nodded as she untied it from her waist before holding it in her hand.

"Why?" She asked quickly.

"As a precaution," the Oracle said sternly, "it will be safer to remove the Heart from your possession. I fear that its power is what drew those creatures to you."

"Yeah," Hay Lin said angrily, "that's totally it. That's why they ignored Elyon and tossed her aside like a rag doll. That's why they didn't bother to just rip open Will's body and take it, or wait till it unmerged with her. It's all because they wanted the Hearts power."

"Hay Lin," Luba said quickly, "what the Oracle is trying to say…"

"Is that he's a coward that wants to hide behind his precious Heart," Hay Lin said before she threw the gem to the ground, "well he can have it. It doesn't work on those things anyway."

"One more thing Hay Lin," the Oracle said with what looked to be regret showing on his face. "I will also be removing your connection to the Auramere completely."

"What," Hay Lin asked in surprise, "you…you don't have any right to do that."

"Understand that it is," Luba started to explain.

"No," Hay Lin growled, "I need my powers if I ever hope to find those things. I won't let you take them."

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Hay Lin's eyes flashed open to reveal that she was lying in her bed. She sat up slowly as she placed her head in her hands. "How in the world did I get back here?"

The last thing Hay Lin remembered was going to meet that Haruka girl, but then…the events of the meeting flashed through her head rapidly. What was that girl? She said something like Karas, and then there was something else. Something that distorted space. Something that she couldn't see at the bottom of the stairs.

"I'll deal with that Haruka girl tomorrow," she sighed as she climbed out of bed, "if she is something that has to transform. Then in human form I have at least the advantage of size."

She stretched as she grabbed her bag and exited her room and quickly left through the restaurant below.

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Hay Lin stopped at the iron gates that cut off the rest of the world from the cemetery. She would visit her friends graves frequently, and it helped her calm down, though as she entered the cemetery she had the strange feeling that someone or something was following her.

"Hi, Irma," Hay Lin said as she sat next to her best friend's headstone. A gentle smile spread across her face from just saying the girl's name. It was something that had become foreign to Hay Lin outside of the graveyard.

"It is her yes," Hay Lin heard a small raspy voice.

"Is someone there," Hay Lin asked standing. She looked around desperately to find something. The sun had started to set when she left her house, and now it was fairly dark.

"I is here, yes," the raspy voice responded as she saw something duck behind a tombstone. Then a deathly stench filled the young girl's nose. It was enough to make her gag, and if she hadn't been standing over Irma's grave she probably wouldn't be forcing herself not to vomit.

"Who are you," Hay Lin asked while trying to clear the stench from her mind.

"I is who I is," the raspy voice responded as something ran to behind a headstone closer to the girl. "The question is who you are?"

"What does that have to do with anything," Hay Lin asked as whatever it was moved to another headstone, inching its way closer.

"You is the first human to see a Death Gaizer and live," the voice said causing Hay Lin's eyes to widen. Was this thing like Haruka or something?

"So," Hay Lin angrily asked readying to fight as it got closer.

"You must have power," the raspy voice said, "and I is wanting that power."

Suddenly, a purple colored human like thing burst from behind the tombstone to Hay Lin's right. Its mouth was surrounded by a ring of red while a half eaten arm remained in its left hand. Hay Lin raised her arms to block the creature before a small red ball slammed into it knocking it to the ground and through four grave stones.

"Maybe you should leave the lady alone," a boy in an elaborate white outfit with black trim said. His black hair was wild as it swayed in the breeze while piercing lime green eyes focused on the purple monstrosity. A piece of white was attached to his face just below his right eye, almost like a bandage covering a scar. What alarmed Hay Lin though was the small hole that went straight through the boy's chest just below his sternum. "Filthy ghoul."

"Ghoul," Hay Lin questioned, but was unnoticed by the boy, though he did seem to slightly glance in her direction.

"Why is a Hollow here," the ghoul hissed angrily, "this is my prey."

"First off," the boy said as a blue bow formed in his left hand as he pointed it at the ghoul. "I'm not your average hollow."

He pulled back on a blue colored bow string as an arrow made of blue energy formed before he fired at his target. The ghoul quickly hopped aside before the arrow struck.

"I is no average ghoul either," the ghoul said with a chuckle. "But I is curious to what you is Hollow."

"Arrancar natural born," the boy said as he drew back the bow once again. This time it turned red and seemed to grow in size. "Rencho Mapletap."

"Arran…car…" the ghoul said in fear, "I…think we got off…" Before the creature could finish the boy fired his arrow striking it square in the chest. It was propelled into the wooded area behind the graveyard before impacting a tree and exploding.

"I take it you can see me now," Rencho said as his gaze turned to Hay Lin. His bow disappeared as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "You aren't going to pass out again are you?"

"What the hell are you," Hay Lin asked angrily while glaring at him.

"As I told the ghoul," Rencho said calmly, "I am an Arrancar. A powerful version of a spiritual being known as a hollow, but you may call me Rencho."

"Okay," Hay Lin said while keeping her guard up. She just had a natural distrust of strange things now. "Why are you here Rencho?"

"Not even a thank you," Rencho sighed, "guesses that's to be expected. To answer your question, I came here with Haruka. The Death Gaizers left you alive. Something the whole spiritual and magical world is interested in, though I think it is for different reasons than that ghoul stated."

"And those reasons are," Hay Lin asked wondering where this guy was going with this. What did he know about the Death Gaizers, and what exactly was a hollow.

"That you were too weak," Rencho said bluntly, "the Death Gaizers only seek to fight beings that they see are powerful enough to attempt to challenge them. Other than that and that they don't leave anyone they challenge alive, not much is known about them. That's why you are important."

"Because I was weak and lived," Hay Lin said as anger built inside of her, "how does that make me important."

"You not only know what they look like," Rencho responded, "but also what they can do slightly. Your value comes from the information that you possess. That's really all the good a weakling like you possesses."

"Why you," Hay Lin screamed while throwing a punch into Rencho's face, though the Arancarr did nothing to stop it. He didn't even move, but his eyes did widen as if he noticed something for the first time.

"An Auramere," he said as Hay Lin pulled back her fist with a stunned expression on her face.

"What do you know about the Aurameres," Hay Lin asked quickly.

"I know nothing of them," Rencho said, "I only know their concept, and what they feel like. You've been disconnected, more like severed from your correct."

"Yeah," Hay Lin said as she averted her gaze to the ground. She didn't like the fact that her powers were taken from her.

"Took you awhile Rencho," Haruka said as she just seemed to appear.

"So," Rencho said calmly.

"I think I know what caught the Death Gaizers interest," Haruka said, "remember when Soul Society and Hueco Mundo had that major earthquake."

"That energy ripple," Rencho said calmly, "no way could beings that rely on the hearts of worlds generate that."

"I don't mean to interrupt," Hay Lin said in an annoyed tone, "but stop leaving me out of the loop."

"I guess it would be easier to explain to you both at the same time," Haruka said quickly. "I did some snooping in the spiritual timeline and found something of interest. Exactly two years and four months ago a powerful burst of elemental spiritual energy rippled through all the planes. This was caused…"

"When we turned into our elemental forms to beat Cedric," Hay Lin finished the statement as tears well up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Rencho asked, "but who is Cedric."

"A half snake monster from Meridian," Hay Lin said quickly while wiping the tears from her eyes. "That explains why they were disappointed."

"Huh," Haruka asked, "who were disappointed."

"The Death Gaizers," Hay Lin said quickly forming a plan in her head, "they said that they were disappointed and it was because we were weaker than our elemental forms and they tried to get us to enter them, but that was a onetime deal."

"Is there a point to this information," Rencho asked in an annoyed tone.

"Yes," Hay Lin said with a smile. She didn't need to be connected to the Auramere to lure them out. She needed the Auramere itself. "You guys can cross worlds right."

"Yeah," Haruka asked as blue eyes sent a puzzled glance to Rencho who just shrugged.

"And I know where the Aurameres are," Hay Lin said quickly. "Can you take me there?"

"Why," Rencho asked.

"Because," Hay Lin said, "now I know how to get my powers back, and lure those monsters to me. After that I just have to kill them."

"By monsters I assume you mean the Death Gaizers," Haruka said with a worried giggle, "that's suicide."

"A bold suicide," Rencho said as a wide grin adorned his face, "I like the sound of it."

"I don't," Haruka said, "an Arrancar and a human alone are just no match for a Death Gaizer. Not to mention that all of them would be after you if you killed one."

"Then how about," Rencho said with a grin, "a human, an arrancar, and a karas."

"Well that would be a little better, but…" Haruka said calmly, "Hey I never said I was going to get involved."

"Come on," Rencho said, "are ya scared."

"Of course not," Haruka said, "I'm just being cautious, but if you really want to do this. I'll need Rencho to get us a certain something from Shishome."

"And what would that be," Rencho asked calmly.

"I'll tell you tomorrow," Haruka said as she wrapped her arm around Hay Lin's shoulders, "Hay Lin and I have school."

"You have three seconds to let me go," Hay Lin growled, "before I remove your arm."

"Why can't I get it while you're in school," Rencho asked as Haruka backed away from Hay Lin.

"Good point," Haruka said calmly. Rencho intently listened to the whispered instructions, and after it was settled the three of them decided to meet up at the old house where Hay Lin had gone to meet Haruka earlier, and the group headed to their respective homes.


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